I discovered a new area to watch wildlife today. It is close to home but very quiet and unexplored. I am going to keep the exact spot to myself because it would pretty quickly become spoiled if it became busy. It is nowhere near Exminster Marsh but has as much potential and to be frank is a little gem. Also, it is very private and just what I like. Whilst there, just for an explore I did not have my camera with me and I bumped in to a lovely little pair of Stonechat that were perching on the top of these........... (well I have always called them Bullrushes but I don't think strictly that is the proper name). I came back home and got my hide and camera because there was also at least a dozen Snipe. When I returned 1 hour later the Stonechats were in exactly the same place and with the sun over my shoulder, but low in the sky, the lighting was just great. I took quite a few shots reasonably close and this is image is cropped to make it a better. I am going to return of course because there is so much to see. For instance there was Reed Bunting, Snipe, 6 Little Egrets, Kestrel, Buzzard, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Mallard, Magpie,Grey Heron, Crow, a Raven soaring high and Meadow Pipit. Quite a haul in just 15 minutes or so.I have a plan for both the Buzzard and Kestrel and also I am planning to sit it out in the hide and wait for one of the Snipe to come in to view. I would not be surprised to see a Water Rail either. I did my log turning trick to look for mammals and also found a lovely little nest and a Vole rushed out for cover. I quickly replaced the log because it is the Voles that are providing food for the Kestrel of course. In my garden today, a Magpie is becoming increasingly more common and I have actually seen him/her come on to the lawn and the log which serves as a bird table, to take chopped ham which I have put out for him. I am hoping to be able to get some close up photos of him feeding which will be good. On the Brook, the water level is still very high and I doubt that the Kingfisher is in the part of the territory where my hide is. The hide is still half submerged and we have just had another downpour so I suspect it will be days and days before the level goes down to what it was. I can then get back to some more Kingfisher study.
This picture didn't quite come off. I hadn't set the camera properly and unfortunately took this shot with a high ISO. When you then crop the image you are basically magnifying everything which also means that the grainy/noise on the image is also magnified and spoils what would have been a nice shot to say the least.
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